Breath of Fresh Air
by Infatuated-Simplicity
Summary: This hell hole was going to be the death of him. His salvation might walk in any moment and it made all these stupid parties worth attending. He had never been so thankful for Tsunade-sama's aversion to social functions. NejixSakura


Authors note: So as promised here is a new story. I realise that a western theme would be an unusual choice in this story line but I do not know enough about Japanese traditions to be confident in writing a story the goes into depth in them, so I changed the venue. I'd say that they are in their mid-twenties. Anyway I am planning to post another story tomorrow. Onto the story!

* * *

It was in moments like these that Hyuuga Neji regretted having been born into a prestigious clan. There had been many times in the past where he resented being born into the lesser division of the Hyuuga, but that was different. Even if he had been a member of the main branch he would have loathed this.

This was some unknown circle of hell that gathered politicians, gold diggers and suck ups into it's midst, purely for the purpose of torturing those who got caught in its clutches. The peculiar western attire did not help his mood either. The black tuxedo he was wearing constricted his movement, which concerned him as a shinobi. He noticed a few others in the throng looking just as ill adjusted as he felt. At least he had managed to avoid wearing that cumbersome looking attachment that was meant to go around his waist and instead only had to deal with the black bow tie around his neck.

The annual Peace celebration was in a category all it's own, at least for him anyway. Since the end of the war and the subsequent treaty all clans of the lands gathered in celebration once a year in a grand event. The hosting nation varied as did the hosting family. This year the Hyuuga's were hosting on behalf of Konoha, which made this already dull experience ten times worse. As the oldest, most directly related male to the main branch he was required to be here, and at all the other balls after he had come of age.

He scanned the sea of guests that had arrived. Most were older but there were a number of clan heirs around his age mixed into the crowd. He could clearly see Chouji stationed near the buffet table with both of his old teammates standing near him. They seemed content enough to be talking a midst themselves but no doubt their parents would comment on their solidarity later.

That was one of the man reasons he hated these sorts of affairs. more often than not double motives abounded. this particular event was a feast for those who had business with the prominent individuals that would normally be off limits. Kages, daimyos and clan leaders were free for the night and could be approached by anyone invited for just about anything. many took advantage in order to speak to foreign dignitaries about new market opportunities, or political gains.

In addition to discussing politics and business deals, it was not uncommon to find parents scouting out potential matches for their children at this event. It was rare for all the clans to gather outside this function. This proved to be the perfect opportunity for meddling parents to begin the initial negotiations with other parents and shove the unsuspecting children together in an attempt to jump start a beneficial relationship for both clans. Such arrangements were never official, of course. That was up to the pair in question to decide but still it was a way of finding who the available options were.

Thank Kami Hiashi-sama had no apparent interest in shoving him in the middle of some sort of ill-conceived deal. It had become obvious on a number of occasions that he had no intention of forcing Neji into such a situation. Just a few minutes before a clan matriarch approached the host with a less than delicately concealed proposition, suggesting that her daughter be "united with the dashing nephew" of the Hyuuga clan leader. She received a chilly response in return, suggesting in no uncertain terms that the introduction of his "dashing nephew" was not something he would participate in and that the idea should not be brought up again.

If the woman was affronted by being shut down she did not show it, nor did she continue in her pursuit. Hyuuga Hiashi was not a man accustomed to being argued with and most were smart enough not to try. It was true that many clan leaders were interested in what plans Hiashi had for his most prized nephew. Every proposal that had been made in regards to the young man had been shut down as soon as the idea had been brought up; and there had been many. That suited Neji just fine, he had other plans for himself none of which involved any of the women currently represented at the ball.

It was all rather wearisome. He would be able to leave his uncle's side, and thus all of these busy bodies, when the guest of honor arrived. As of yet there was no sign of their heavily endowed leader and she had been due to arrive ten minutes ago. Even the Kazekage had made his entrance some time ago and was currently looking just as bored as Neji was. The pair of black-rimmed eyes met his for a brief second and they shared a moment of mutual empathy before Gaara quickly concealed himself behind a column in an attempt to avoid a drunken heavy-set man wanting a word with the Suna leader.

A gentle glimmer near the door caught this eye and when his eyes landed on her he could feel the heat in his own stare.

She was finally here.

The idle chitchat was cut by the doorman's voice and the room was silent for a moment. "Presenting the Godaime's apprentice, Haruno Sakura." The young woman in question allowed the man to take her coat and revealed her evening attire. The room lit up with murmurs, mostly concerning where the Hokage was.

Sakura ignored the rest of the guests as she approached the host, the pale gold material of her dress brushing against the floor. As she walked towards him Neji took a moment to appreciate the woman in front of him and did not bother to hide the languid roving of his eyes over her sumptuous figure.

He so rarely saw her these days, both were quite busy, but he had been trying to track her down in her free time for months, to no avail. Now here she was and he had been hoping that would be the case. The night had suddenly stopped being tedious as the object of his affection sauntered into the hall.

Her movements were graceful and she seemed to be gliding as she walked across the floor. The dress she wore was made of lace and satin. The lace covered a satin lining from the top of the dress to the base, with strips of satin worked into the lace to create a floral design, whose tendrils wrapped around her waist and hips. The strapless sweetheart top accentuated her breasts and the gold beading concentrated at the top, only to integrate with the satin design as the eye trailed downwards, completely disappearing into the lace around the tops of her thighs. The material rippled around her feet, occasionally revealing what appeared to be a pair of elegant heels. Even with out the tall shoes, her height was deceptive, in that she looked much taller than she actually was and her lean legs, concealed by the material, aided the illusion. The dress was fitted around the bust, waist, and hips showing just how generous the curvatures of her body really were, and the color showcased the glow of her porcelain skin and paired well with both of her more brightly colored attributes. Her pink hair was pulled up with a few strands framing her face. Her make up was minimal but the gold shimmer on her eyes lids, lightly applied black liner, and mascara showed off her natural beauty making her emerald pools pop more than usual.

"Hiashi-sama, please forgive my intrusion. Tsunade-sama is currently… indisposed. She sent me in her stead."

"It is no intrusion, Sakura-san. We are grateful to have you here." The older man leaned in to speak quietly into the young medics ear. "If she's as indisposed as I think she is, perhaps it's better that she's not here. We wouldn't want a repeat of last year." The tone of Hiashi voice was surprisingly playful but Sakura did not seem put off by it. Instead she shared an understanding with his uncle and then they both stepped back to perform the customary bows.

Hiashi turned to the crowd and gave signal for the commencement of the event. "Our guest of honor has arrived. We shall begin the first dance of the evening." Hiashi nodded to Sakura before taking the arm of his wife and making his way to the dance floor. Neji looked over to his left to find a somewhat disappointed Hinata. He understood and shared that sentiment. Their first dance of the evening would have to be executed together. While normally it was a godsend for him to have an allocated partner for the occasions he was forced into dancing, tonight it was a hindrance. As Gaara approached Sakura, he could not repress the slight twinge in the depths of his chest. Sakura looked over her shoulder to see who was gracing her with such a warm gaze and found his eyes. Her lips parted slightly but then her attention was turned to her dance partner as the red head whispered something in her ear.

He wanted to growl. He had been waiting for her to show up at one of these events. They never saw each other outside of hospital visits and that was hardly an appropriate time to begin courting a woman of Sakura's caliber, especially since she was working. Never the less, now was hardly the time to mope. There would be plenty more opportunities to bring the medic to his side.

He guided his cousin to the dance floor and they joined hands facing each other. A few couples down, the distinct pairing of red and pink hair could be seen. Hinata followed his line of sight and sighed.

"They make an attractive couple don't you think Nii-san?" he did not answer her question, partly because he very rarely answered questions like that, but mostly because he did not agree. "It's a such a shame though…" her trail off suggested exactly what he wanted to hear; Sakura wasn't interested in the quiet Kazekage. A distinctly pleased glimmer flashed through his eyes though he doubted anyone caught it. They were all too preoccupied with their own agendas.

With Gaara out of the running, whether the red haired nin knew it or not, Neji felt more at ease. He saw Gaara as a friend via Naruto's association but that would not have stopped him from feeding Gaara to the proverbial wolves in order to spend the evening with Sakura. One merchant in particular had his sights set on speaking to the kage and Neji knew that at some point he would be throwing Gaara under the bus by whisking the pink haired woman away. The tiny amount of guilt brought on by that knowledge was whipped away quickly. Neji knew that given the chance Gaara would do the same to him and no matter what they would be cordial afterwards. At the very least Neji was sure he would be.

He was grateful to Gaara, for it was Gaara that had brought her to his attention. Years back on that mission to save the Kazekage he had seen a fiercely beautiful woman that had no equal. Since then she had been the only woman he wanted but he knew better than to jump in right away. He had to choose his moment carefully and now she was finally ready. The Uchiha was long gone and out of her thoughts and he had finally achieved what he wanted in his career, as had she.

He looked down at Hinata who was glancing at the couple in question with her head tilted to the side, still wondering about Sakura's decision. The music started and Neji concentrated on making sure that his cousin did not step on his toes. Being around so many people still made her nervous and her swan like grace was completely lost in moments like these.

The dance was a short simple one, a warm up for the many dances that would follow in the late hours of the night. When it was over Hinata dashed off to find Kiba who was waiting for her at a table. He was glad that at least one of her friends had been forced into joining the festivities. Typically she hovered around his elbow all night in an attempt to avoid interacting with anyone.

It was no secret that Neji and Hinata did not actively seek out each other's company, other than for training. They respected each other, but they were not friends, and since some of her friends were now here it made sense that she would want to spend time with them. It made no difference to him, as he would much prefer to spend his time at this function with certain other people as well.

The pink haired woman was in his sights and he watched as she left Gaara, who had been cornered by the daimyo, to get a drink. Every few steps someone approached her to ask her questions or just to say 'hi'. She greeted each one with a smile, no matter their intentions, and politely excused herself.

Neji trailed behind her making sure not to get too close. He did not want to disrupt her mission. If she had been dealing with a drunk Hokage earlier this evening then she would most likely need a stiff drink herself. Hell, he needed one and he had only been greeting people for the last hour, not trying to prepare a temperamental drunk woman for an important function.

Finally Sakura reached the refreshments, said a quick hello to her friends, before striding to the drinks at the other end of the long feast. She picked up a flute of champagne and looked far more at ease after taking a sip of the chilled liquid.

He was about to cross the last few meters between them when two council members trapped Sakura against the table. He recognize the pair. Both were known to be very particular and traditional. They obviously had a bone to pick. The lines in the older woman's face paired with the tightly pinned bun emphasizing her sour disposition and the man had a permanent sneer that looked as though years of contrite behavior had etched it there.

"Where is the hokage?" the older woman snipped at the medic, as though Sakura was violating some law by being at a party.

"She's at home recovering," Sakura explained quietly lowering her drink.

"This is unacceptable. You have no right to be here." And there was the confirmation of what he had heard in the woman's voice earlier. His frown was truly fierce if he was any judge. He was about to step in but then he remembered who they were dealing with. This was no damsel in distress.

With a steady breath Sakura pushed her shoulders back, lengthened her neck and sent a gentle smile to the two older members. "I realize you are my elders and as such I appreciate your insight on the situation, but the host has accepted me this evening and my master entrusted this duty to me. If you have a problem with the way things were handled I ask you to discuss the matter with them." Her voice was steady, calm, and amazingly she seemed almost sweet but they all knew better than to think that it was anything other than a veil to her true emotions. She was soft velvet around a steal blade. She challenged them with a steady gaze that they were sure to fire back at, having no other target to take their frustration out on. Neither would be willing to approach Hiashi on the subject and Tsunade was out of their reach for now.

The male elder, Neji could never remember his name, moved to open his mouth and reprimand her was cut off by a pair of broad shoulders. "Sakura-san, join me for a drink?" Neji asked extending his arm to the beauty who blinked up at him in surprise.

Surprised to be sure, but pleased her smile changed slightly and lit up her eyes. She reached out for his obvious escape route from the harpies that threatened to turn the party into an inquisition. He could see they had more to say, but if he had anything to do with it she would not have to deal with such harassment in his presence. She could take care of herself, of that he knew quite well, but if he could help he would. Moreover, she seemed to appreciate his efforts. "I'd love that," she said, resting her hand on his arm.

The party was now in full swing and bodies of the guests swerved into their path constantly. A patch of green in the distance had him veering towards of a change in venue. He saw the quiet of the garden as a refuge. Most were dancing or pushing politics but the garden was free of such agendas. The music began to fade away as they moved past the dance floor. He leaned down close enough so she could hear. "I see the council is as persistent as ever."

She smiled and for a moment her head bent down just enough to hide the grin she sported. When she pulled her head back up she was thoroughly amused. "I just wish they'd realize that I cannot control Tsunade-sama. There is only so much I can do. After all, she is the one who gives me orders." He could hear the humor in the futility of their outrage coming from her.

Neji wanted to shake his head on two counts. The first was the elders and their senseless finger pointing and the second was the flagrant disregard of their hokage, who was notorious for skipping out on social appearances. "She ordered you to leave her alone and come here in her stead."

Sakura, as though she were remembering something unpleasant, scrunched her face up and raised her glass. "Yep." She downed a mouthful of champagne before continuing. "The sad part is that she had a dress ready for me when I walked in help her prep." A barely audible chuckle filled her tones as she looked up at him.

He smirked at the shrewdness of their leader. "At least she was well prepared," he commented, good humored sarcasm dripping through each syllable.

He had never thought himself a funny man, and he was fairly sure he was not one as no one ever laughter at what he had to say, but tonight seemed to be an exception. She liked his humor or his attempts at it. Sakura giggled, a sound reminiscent of her younger years, that he found endearing. "That is one way to put it. But I wouldn't change her," she said taking a look around the garden she now found herself in.

He set his free hand down on hers and noted how much smaller it was by comparison. "Agreed. I am glad she ordered you to come to our little party."

"Little? This hardly constitutes the word little."

"Obnoxiously extravagant?" he asked, leading her down a small path he knew by heart. This was his favorite place to relax and he came often when Hiashi was not occupying it. The decorations set up accentuated the beauty of the outdoor area but had they not been there the garden was still a lovely spot. Lanterns lit the path and reflected off the water up ahead. Compared to the opulence of the dance floor the garden could have been overlooked by those more interested in the glitz and glamour. Most had not ventured out to witness it yet as the night was still young and few were in need of air. Never the less, he had a feeling this scene was more to her taste.

She nodded finishing another sip of her champagne taking in the sight around her with wide green eyes. "And elegant," she breathed out. The scent of the garden flowers coated through the air filling her lungs with their beauty. She watched the lights dace in the night as a warm breeze filled the air and he in turn watched her.

"Hiashi-sama does his best," he said, taking an assured step towards the meditation tree, or at least that is what he called it. He spent most of his free time in the garden, as did his uncle and thus it was a coveted spot. Rarely was it seen occupied by any others and yet he felt the need to share it now, though he was not even sure if she meditated.

"You don't have to tell me. Even on a regular day this garden is stunning." The awe in her voice spoke volumes as she stepped off the path and under the blossoming tree to get a better look at the flowers.

"Indeed. It is such a shame that so few get to witness it."

"I only got a glance once before when Hinata was overseeing it's preparation for a family function about four years ago."

That fact did not surprise him. As it happened this was a private garden for most of the year. Very rarely did anyone get to view it if they were not a clan member. In four years some updates had been made one of which he was now positive she would appreciate given her affinity for the cherry blossoms. "Then you have never seen the koi pond." He held a hand out for her to take and with curiosity she did. They walked along the path to avoid her shoes being ruined. He remained silent letting her take in the her surroundings to the fullest extent.

When they reached the edge of the water he looked down the see what she thought. As he suspected she was entranced, bending down a little to view a particularly beautiful red spotted koi who showed off his moonlit scales for her. "It's absolutely breathtaking."

She stood up again to take in the water lilies that were in full bloom and he in turn was enjoying the sight of her in the moonlight and the way the gentle breeze played with her cherry locks. "If ever you wish to see it please let me know. I would gladly grant you access," he offered with complete sincerity.

"Thank you Neji-san. I will." A disgruntled exclamation in the open night air caught their attention. He did not need to turn in order to spot the poorly hidden pair sneaking through the bushes. He recognized the same woman from earlier watching him accompanied by a younger version of herself. They appeared to be trying to ambush him but had only just noticed the companion he happily kept at his side. Sakura looked between the gossiping duo and Neji, who had a surly expression taking root on his features. It did not take long for her to figure out what had brought it on. "I see you've been dealing with your own problems tonight."

The boisterous clan matriarch had broken the tranquil atmosphere and pulled them both back into the present circumstance. Choosing to ignore the clucking hens he turned his full attention back to Sakura and in sync they took a turn around the rest of the garden. "To an extent. Hiashi-sama has already put his foot down once tonight. I doubt we'll be hearing about it again any time soon."

She nodded solemnly and sympathetically squeezed the hand that was helping her navigate the uneven stone path in her stiletto shoes. "I haven't had any proposals yet thankfully," she admitted keeping an eye on the pair that were now following them through the garden. He had half a mind to throttle the old woman in her sleep but chose instead to focus on Sakura and bring her attention back to him.

They crossed the small bridge that would bring them over the pond and allow them to circle back to the party. "I doubt that very much," he said extending his hand to show her a small bench under a willow tree near the open Hyuuga halls.

She blushed under his steady gaze that was filled with an intense focus directed solely at her. She had noticed it before of course but had never been this close to the source. "You're too kind Neji-san," she said, trying not to read too much into his words though it was difficult to convince herself he was just being polite when his molten silver stare slid over her that way and demanded to be acknowledged. And she had no doubt he was demanding to be the center of her attention which was unusual. Neji was certainly the most reserved of the old gang and often the quietest. He had certainly never gone out of his way to treat her specially before or perhaps she had never noticed it. She was beginning to wonder if somewhere along the line she had missed something. It had often been commented that should Hyuuga Neji ever place the devotion and effort he exerted into his training towards a woman, that woman would be very lucky indeed. She would not assume to be that woman and still the thought enticed her.

He could see it all crossing her mind as the remnants of her thoughts transferred to her features. The byakugan took the guess work out of a many things. People often found Hyuuga's to be stoic and reserved on a whole and there was good reason for it. Most Hyuuga to Hyuuga interactions did not need to be spoken or exaggerated to be detected. Right now he was just enjoying being near her and getting to see her react to him. He was thanking his luck stars it was all positive and her flushed cheeks propelled him forward to be more bold than he ever would have been normally.

Sakura shook her head to clear her mind and lighten the situation she had found herself in. "None that I am aware of. I doubt many people would willingly bring the subject up to Tsunade-sama," she clarified with a devilish grin that accompanied it.

For his part Neji was somewhat taken aback. "Tsunade-sama?" he asked quietly joining her on the wooden bench.

Sakura nodded polishing off the final sip of her champagne. "My parents passed away during the war. As my master, Tsunade-sama has graciously agreed to handle the political matters for my clan until my training is complete."

Now it was his turn to smirk. Tsunade seemed to enjoy pulling a fast one on people and she certainly enjoyed doing it to the clan leaders her were a constant thorn in her side. "It was my understanding that your training has long been complete."

She nudged him playfully bringing a hand up to her lips. "Don't tell anyone. The clan leader's fear of Tsunade-sama has kept me out of clan politics and I'd like to keep it that way for a while. At least until I get used to my new post." He had almost forgotten about that. No wonder she had been missing form all the groups meeting lately.

"Hn. Congratulations. Head of the hospital is nothing to scoff at," he said with sincerity. She was under a great deal of strain these days. All of Rookie 9 and Team Gai were with their achievements gaining them new responsibilities and demanding positions of high rank.

Sakura shrugged and looked up a the sky where a clear night gave her a full view of the moon and stars. "If Shizune had wanted it I'd have let her take it, but she is her happiest and most effective at Tsunade-sama's side."

"Do you ever intend to return to the field?" His voice seemed to echo in the warm night air and came out a bit louder than he had intended. even so he was glad he was asking. if she ever did show an interest in joining a team again he would be the first down at the hokages office to take her on board, Naurto and Kakashi be have a medic of that caliber on ones team was something every team captain wanted and to date only the two sanin teams had achieved that kind of support. Any team she joined would consider her the most treasured member and having her near would be a bonus for him in particular. "I know many a team would feel more secure knowing you were watching out for them."

"I still take missions, but mostly with Naruto, Sai, and Kaka-sensei. You'd be amazed how often they manage to get injured," she said with a chuckle. She pushed a strand of hair back. Green eyes peered over to him from under long lashes in the night. "And you flatter me. I've been told that my fighting style gives away my location far too easily."

He had to give her that. She could certainly make an entrance, or exit, if she chose. never the less sometimes that was exactly what was called for and he had seen her act with subtlety on the battle field as well. for a moment he wondered who had admonished her so, and then realized their resident medic was most like just being very humble. "That may be true but I prefer the thought of you healing me instead of finding myself at the receiving end of your power is something to be admired not admonished."

Her blush was back and for a moment she seemed flustered but quickly recovered. It was not like Neji to give out a compliment of any kind and certainly not so many in such a short period of time. She could not ignore it anymore and it was obvious that he was purposefully doing so, although she greatly appreciated that not one time had there been any signs of purposeful flattery or anything less than genuine in his statements. There was no exaggeration in him and she could tell he truly believed the things he said to her. That meant a great deal more than he knew. "Thank you Neji-san. Speaking of power I heard about your team's most recent mission. Anbu's panther team is not to be taken lightly," she said, turning a compliment on him to see what he did with it.

"I do my best." he said, keeping his voice even.

She shook her head at his modesty. It was a lovely trait to have but they both knew where he stood in the shinobi ranks. His skill and ease as a captain was renowned and he was carving out a name for himself in ANBU. "Good luck on the upcoming team rankings. Something tells me you'll come out at the top of the list. You will be the number one ANBU captain in no time," she encouraged with the utmost confidence.

His head lowered slightly but she could see how pleased he really was by her praise of his skills. "I hope you are right." The call for the next dance sounded and Neji felt the urge to do something he never did at these events unless necessary. He stood and bowed lightly enjoying the way these gestures of his were bringing a spark to her eyes. "Sakura-san, would you join me for the waltz?"

She stood as well and he was pleased to find that this time he did not need to offer his had to her ans she automatically held it out for him. "Of course." She smiled widely as the two entered the busy hall and stepped out on the dance floor."I have to warn you, I've only waltzed a few times."

He titled his head to the side ever so slightly before leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Your dancing earlier was sublime."

He took her second hand his his and drew her in close causing onlookers to quietly comment. Such behavior was unheard of coming from him and for him to hold a lady so close had never been seen before. To dance with anyone other than his cousin and only then at the opening and closing numbers was unseen to date. Tongues were wagging and he found that to be perfectly acceptable. Better they all understand his intentions now. The comment and the contact brought a shy smile to her lips and she did her best not to blush once more under the focus of his attentions. "I didn't know you were watching."

"Hn." The music began and they pair moved together, he doing his best to accommodate her small er strides and finding that their movement were perfectly matched without him having to concentrate on watching out for her feet. Soon enough they were both gliding about the couples that surrounded them. "As I thought, you had nothing to worry about." His lips brushed her ear and when she shivered under the contact he beamed with pride. He was thoroughly enjoying their interaction, even more so now that he was able to draw in close.

She turned her head to look him in the eyes and was flattered to find that he was looking back. Still he managed not to bump them into anyone which was a fate she had not avoided on previous occasions with less skilled partners. "You are a very good dancer," she said taking full advantage of the fact that he was expertly guiding them through the crowd.

"It is easier with a partner you wish to dance with," he confided, reveling in the almost imperceptible way her whole body leaned into his with ever step they took.

Suddenly her eyes turned feeling the heat of a stare on her, less intense than the one gracing her currently but the scowl was unmistakable and it almost diminished the good time she was having. Having noticed the scowl through her reaction to it Neji did what he could to bring her back into the dance at hand.

With a graceful turn he guided her through a small spin and then dipped her back low, bringing a gasp from her and a great deal of attention from their onlookers. "Don't worry. I will save you from the elders," he said pulling her back up to meet him, almost chest to chest now.

The giggle that erupted form her was precious and a sly smirk emerged from him. "Just don't kill her. They'll have both our heads," she said trying not to laugh fully at the sour expression sent her way by the elder.

Neji, feigning seriousness, tilted his head up to gaze at their targets in a thoughtful manner. "They would have to catch us."

Sakura nodded joining in on the fun. "And Tsunade-sama would probably give us a head start." She turned her head to the side looking up at him in thought. "Hell, she'd probably turn us into heroes."

Neji actually chuckled guiding his partner through a series of fast paced turns through the waltz. "I take it our Hokage is not on the best terms with her council," he mused, mindful of Kiba who almost barreled straight into them with his dance partner, who looked sufficiently frightened.

"Like cats and dogs," she said as they shared a moment of understanding.

The low rumble in his chest resonated as the tune came into its final notes and he, as was custom, prepared to bow to his partner in thanks. "Hence your presence."

Sakura lowered herself lightly in return with a small nymph like grin. "One of many reasons for my presence."

Applause broke out from the onlookers most noticeably from the host himself who seemed very pleased with something. Neji was sure Hiashi would enlighten him later. In the mean time he had more pressing things to watch out for. A blonde ponytail was swaying through the crowd and he knew his time with Sakura was about to be interrupted.

Sooner than he thought Ino pushed past the offending bodies and rested her hands firmly on her hips. "Sakura! Come occupy my time," she demanded with little sympathy for the situation before her.

"Ino, don't be rude," Sakura chided her best friend, who had only just noticed that Sakura was currently still attached to the tall Hyuuga.

With quick glance a the large had that still held Sakura's she greeted him flatly. "Hey Hyuuga." In a heartbeat Sakura's free arm was latched onto as her friend sent her big blue puppy dog eyes. "Sakuraaaaaaaa, my mom told me to mingle."

The medic raised both pink brows at her long time friend who dangled off her arm feigning helplessness. "Talking to me doesn't count as mingling."

Ino just waved her off and began to tug her away to the refreshments. "I think it does, so come on. You're stuck with me."

Sakura let out an exasperated sigh before turning to Neji with an apologetic smile. "Neji-san, please excuse me."

She was surprised when he didn't let go right away. Instead he raised her hand to his lips causing both girls to stare at him with varying degrees of amazement. "I would very much like to save your next dance."

"That would be lovely," she said being dragged off by an impatient Ino. In spite of that he managed to catch the beam she sent his way.

* * *

End Comments: So the first of about 2 or 3 chapters... I think. Already started them but as per usual, I make no promises on a time scale. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this, I certainly did. Im going for a slightly more suave Neji, yet one that is still quiet and somber. They've both grown up and I am changing it up a little so forgive an OOC-ness. And obviously Neji survived the war... So, until next time!


End file.
